Judge Ana Reyes extended a preliminary injunction that bars the Trump administration from removing or damaging trees at the East Potomac Golf Course on Monday. The order follows an overnight flurry in which workers felled 400 trees over a holiday weekend, violating the court’s earlier directive.
Reyes had already suspended work on the project until October 26, after President Trump’s October 18 announcement to close the course for 15 months and redevelop the 106‑year‑old park. Trump’s post‑announcement, the administration began cutting trees without the 10‑day notice the court requires.
The judge’s ruling echoes the court’s earlier statement that it speaks only for the rule of law, not for the trees, and she chastised the government for asking her to disregard the president’s statements. She noted that the case has shifted from a golf‑course dispute to a broader question of presidential authority.
Democracy Forward president Skye Perryman, co‑counsel for the plaintiffs, called the ruling a ‘big win’ that will protect East Potomac Park from further irreparable harm. The plaintiffs’ group, joined by the DC Preservation League and two golfers, will continue to argue the case in court.
Under the injunction, the administration must provide 10 days’ written notice before any irreversible modification to the course’s forms or features. The case will remain pending while the court decides whether the renovation can proceed, and the White House has yet to respond.